Reinforced fan frame structure

ABSTRACT

A reinforced fan frame structure includes a frame body and at least one metal ring. The frame body has a seat portion with a centered bearing cup axially forward extended from the seat portion. The metal ring is integrally associated with the seat portion and has an inner circumferential edge facing toward the bearing cup. With the metal ring integrally associated with the seat portion of the frame body, it is able to effectively control the deformation and the flatness of the seat portion and accordingly, effectively upgrade the overall structural strength of the seat portion.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a reinforced fan frame structure, and more particularly to a reinforced fan frame structure that has at least one metal ring integrally associated with a seat portion of the frame structure, so that the seat portion can have effectively increased overall structural strength and the deformation and flatness of the seat portion can be well controlled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Following the progress in electronic information technology, various kinds of electronic products, such as desktop computers and notebook computers, have become highly popular and widely used in different applications. Moreover, all electronic products are designed to have gradually reduced sizes, particularly in their thickness to show a low profile. Taking a notebook computer as an example, since the current available notebook computer has largely reduced overall thickness to have only very limited heat dissipation therein, heat produced by the electronic elements inside the notebook computer, such as the central processing unit (CPU) thereof, is accumulated in the limited heat dissipation space without being quickly removed therefrom. As a result, the heating power of the CPI keeps increasing with the operating speed thereof.

To prevent the notebook computer from temporary or permanent failure due to an overheated CPU, the notebook computer requires sufficient heat dissipation ability to remove the heat produced by the CPU during the high-speed operation thereof, so that the CPU can still maintain normal state when it operates at high speed. Conventionally, a low-profile fan is directly arranged on the CPU, so that heat produced by the CPU is forced out of the computer by the low-profile fan to quickly dissipate into external environment.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are exploded perspective view and assembled sectional view, respectively, of a conventional fan frame structure. As shown, the conventional fan frame structure includes a frame body 1 having a bottom portion 10, a wall portion 11, and a seat portion 12. The wall portion 11 is extended along substantially three sides of the bottom portion 10 to vertically rise therefrom, so that a receiving space 14 is defined in the frame body 1 by the wall portion 11 and the bottom portion 10. An air outlet 15 is defined on an open side of the bottom portion 10 without the wall portion 11. The air outlet 15 communicates with the receiving space 14. The seat portion 12 is formed on the bottom portion 10 to locate in the receiving space 14 and space from the wall portion 11. The seat portion 12 has an open-topped recess 121 formed therein and a bearing cup 122 centered at and axially forward projected from the recess 121. A stator 17 is supported in the recess 121, and a rotor 18 is rotatably connected to the bearing cup 122.

The stator 17 is externally fitted around the bearing cup 122, and includes a winding assembly 171 and a silicon steel plate assembly 172. The winding assembly 171 is wound around the silicon steel plate assembly 172. The rotor 18 includes a hub 181, a magnetic member 182, and a rotary shaft 183. The hub 181 has a plurality of blades 1811 spaced on and extended from an outer circumferential surface of the hub 181. The magnetic member 182 is fixedly arranged in the hub 181. The rotary shaft 183 has a front end fixedly connected to an inner side of the hub 181 and a rear end extended through an oil-impregnated bearing 19, so that the rotary shaft 183 and the bearing 19 are together received in the bearing cup 122.

The frame body 1 of the conventional fan frame structure is made of a plastic material through injection molding using a mold (not shown). As can be seen in FIG. 1B, one problem with the conventional injection-molded frame body 1 is that the seat portion 12 therein would have depressions A or uneven pits formed on a surface of the recess 121 due to release of internal stress and the contraction property of the plastic material. This condition will result in poor overall structural strength and accordingly, deformation of the seat portion 12. With the deformed seat portion 12, the frame body 1 tends to vibrate while the fan operates to thereby produce noise. In a worse condition, the whole stator 18 would become damaged. Fan manufacturers tried to solve the above problems by modifying the mold and controlling different conditions for injection molding but failed. Particularly, the flatness of the seat portion 12 just could not be controlled to achieve the required specifications and forms a difficult problem in the fan industry up to date.

In brief, the conventional fan frame structure has the following disadvantages: (1) having poor structural strength; (2) unable to control the deformation and flatness of the seat portion; and (3) being easy to deform.

It is therefore tried by the inventor to develop a reinforced fan frame structure to overcome the problems in the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a reinforced fan frame structure, which has at least one metal ring integrally associated with a seat portion of a frame body to thereby effectively upgrade the overall structural strength of the seat portion.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a reinforced fan frame structure, with which the deformation and flatness of a seat portion of a frame body can be effectively controlled.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a reinforced fan frame structure, which enables an increased adhesion effect between a rotor and a stator of the fan.

To achieve the above and other objects, the reinforced fan frame structure provided by the present invention includes a frame body and at least one metal ring. The frame body has a seat portion with a centered bearing cup axially forward extended from the seat portion. The metal ring is integrally associated with the seat portion and has an inner circumferential edge facing toward the bearing cup. With the metal ring integrally associated with the seat portion of the frame body, it is able to effectively control the deformation and the flatness of the seat portion and accordingly, effectively upgrade the overall structural strength of the seat portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view of a conventional fan frame structure;

FIG. 1B is an assembled sectional view of the conventional fan frame structure of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a reinforced fan frame structure according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an assembled sectional view of the reinforced fan frame structure of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 at the same time. A reinforced fan frame structure according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a frame body 2 and at least one metal ring 3. The frame body 2 has a seat portion 20, a bottom portion 21, and a wall portion 22. The wall portion 22 is extended along an outer periphery of the bottom portion 21 to vertically rise from substantially three sides of the bottom portion 21, such that a receiving space 25 is defined in the frame body 2 by the wall portion 22 and the bottom portion 21. The seat portion 20 is located in the receiving space 25, and is provided with a centered and axially protruded bearing cup 201. The seat portion 20 is enclosed in an annular wall 202, so that an open-topped recess 204 is defined on the seat portion 20 within the annular wall 202. The metal ring 3 is located in the recess 204 and is integrally associated with the seat portion 20. More specifically, the metal ring 3 is disposed in the recess 204 and integrally associated with the seat portion 20 of the frame body 2 by way of insert molding.

The metal ring 3 has an inner circumferential edge 31 facing toward the bearing cup 201, and a round opening 33 defined within the inner circumferential edge 31 to extend through the metal ring 3 in a thickness direction thereof. An annular space 35 is defined between the inner circumferential edge 31 of the metal ring 3 and the bearing cup 201 to communicate with the round opening 33 and the recess 204. The metal ring 3 can be made of a metal material, such as iron, aluminum, copper, or other metal alloys.

In the process of manufacturing the reinforced fan frame structure of the present invention, the metal ring 3 is disposed in a mold (not shown). When forming the frame body 2 in the mold by injection molding, the metal ring 3 is integrally associated with the seat portion 20 through insert molding. With the metal ring 3 being insert-molded in the seat portion 20, the metal ring 3 is able to support the seat portion 20 and prevent the seat portion 20 from becoming deformed after the whole frame body 2 is injection-molded. Thus, the deformation and the flatness of the seat portion 20 can be effectively controlled, which in turn enables the seat portion 20 to have upgraded or enhanced overall structural strength.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, an air outlet 24 is defined on an open side of the bottom portion 21 without the wall portion 22. The air outlet 24 communicates with the receiving space 25. The frame body 2 further has a supporting base 26 formed between the seat portion 20 and the bottom portion 21. That is, the seat portion 20 is located on a top of the supporting base 26, and the supporting base 26 has an outer diameter larger than that of the seat portion 20.

A plurality of connecting portions 27 is formed between the supporting base 26 and the seat portion 20. The connecting portions 27 respectively have an end fixedly connected to the supporting base 26 and another end fixedly connected to the seat portion 20. A hole 271 is defined between any two adjacent connecting portions 27 to extend through the supporting base 26 and the bottom portion 21 and communicate with the receiving space 25.

The seat portion 20 supports a stator 4 thereon. The stator 4 is externally fitted around the bearing cup 201 with a bottom of the stator 4 partially suspended above the annular space 35 between the inner circumferential edge 31 of the metal ring 3 and the bearing cup 201. The stator 4 includes a winding assembly 41 and a silicon steel plate assembly 42. The winding assembly 41 is wound around the silicon steel plate assembly 42. A rotor 5 is rotatably connected to the bearing cup 201 to enclose the stator 4 therein. The rotor 5 includes a hub 51, a magnetic member 52, and a rotary shaft 53. A plurality of blades 511 is spaced on and extended from an outer circumferential surface of the hub 51. The magnetic member 52 is arranged inside the hub 51. The rotary shaft 53 has a front end fixedly connected to an inner side of the hub 51 and a rear end extended through a corresponding oil-impregnated bearing 6, such that the bearing 6 and the rotary shaft 53 are together received in the bearing cup 201.

The magnetic member 52 has a radially inward oriented magnetic surface 521 and an axially downward oriented magnetic surface 522. The magnetic surface 521 faces toward the silicon steel plate assembly 42. Due to a radial magnetic force at the magnetic surface 521, an electromagnetic induction can be produced between the magnetic member 52 and the silicon steel plate assembly 42. The magnetic surface 522 faces toward the metal ring 3 to provide an increased magnetic adhesion effect. That is, with an axial magnetic force at the magnetic surface 522, the metal ring 3 is magnetically attracted to the magnetic member 52 to reduce an axial push of the rotor 5, which in turn effectively increases a magnetic adhesion effect between the rotor 5 and the stator 4.

In the present invention, with the metal ring 3 integrally associated with the seat portion 20 of the frame body 2, the magnetic adhesion between the rotor 5 and the stator 4 is increased, the deformation and flatness of the seat portion 20 can be effectively controlled, and an overall structural strength of the seat portion 20 is upgraded.

In brief, the reinforced fan frame structure according to the present invention has the following advantages: (1) giving the seat portion an increased overall structural strength; (2) being able to effectively control the deformation and flatness of the seat portion; and (3) increasing the adhesion force between the rotor and the stator.

The present invention has been described with a preferred embodiment thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiment can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims. 

1. A reinforced fan frame structure, comprising: a frame body having a seat portion with a centered bearing cup axially forward extended from the seat portion; and at least one metal ring being integrally associated with the seat portion and having an inner circumferential edge facing toward the bearing cup.
 2. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner circumferential edge of the metal ring defines a round opening therein, and an annular space is defined between the circumferential edge of the metal ring and the bearing cup.
 3. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seat portion is enclosed in an annular wall, so that an open-topped recess is defined on the seat portion within the annular wall.
 4. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame body further has a bottom portion and a wall portion; the wall portion being extended along an outer periphery of the bottom portion to vertically rise from substantially three sides of the bottom portion, such that a receiving space is defined in the frame body by the wall portion and the bottom portion.
 5. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein an air outlet is defined on an open side of the bottom portion without the wall portion, and the air outlet being communicable with the receiving space in the frame body.
 6. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the frame body further has a supporting base formed between the seat portion and the bottom portion; a plurality of connecting portions being formed between the supporting base and the seat portion, and the connecting portions respectively having an end fixedly connected to the supporting base and another end fixedly connected to the seat portion.
 7. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein a hole is defined between any two adjacent ones of the connecting portions; and the holes being extended through the supporting base and the bottom portion and being communicable with the receiving space in the frame body.
 8. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seat portion supports a stator thereon; the stator being externally fitted around the bearing cup and including a winding assembly and a silicon steel plate assembly, and the winding assembly being wound around the silicon steel plate assembly.
 9. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bearing cup has a rotor rotatably connected thereto, and the stator is enclosed in and covered by the rotor; and the rotor including a hub having a plurality of blades spaced on and extended from an outer circumferential surface of the hub, a magnetic member arranged inside the hub, and a rotary shaft having a front end fixedly connected to the hub and a rear end extended through a corresponding oil-impregnated bearing, such that the bearing and the rotary shaft are together received in the bearing cup.
 10. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the magnetic member has a radially inward oriented magnetic surface and an axially downward oriented magnetic surface; the radially inward oriented magnetic surface facing toward the silicon steel plate assembly and the axially downward oriented magnetic surface facing toward the metal ring to provide an increased magnetic adhesion effect.
 11. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the metal ring is integrally associated with the seat portion by insert-molding the metal ring in the recess of the seat portion. 